Indoor Ag-Con

This interview details Indoor Ag-Con, a company based in the United States. The interview is with Brian Sullivan, CEO of Indoor Ag-Con.

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What is the origin story of Indoor Ag-Con?

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Indoor Ag-Con was founded in 2013, and in late 2018, three seasoned event industry professionals—Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki, and myself—came together to acquire the show and establish Indoor Ag-Con LLC. 

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Over the years, we've expanded our show team, transforming the event into the largest gathering for indoor, vertical farming, greenhouse, and controlled environment agriculture. Our 2023 edition marked a 62% increase over 2022, with 1453 attendees from 48 US states, the District of Columbia, US territories, and 29 other countries. Our inclusive attendee roster covers C-level executives, decision-makers from every sector of controlled environment agriculture, including growers, investors, tech providers, startups, academia, government, food service retail, suppliers, and more.

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For the second consecutive year, the 2023 edition of Indoor Ag-Con co-located with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, attracting over 200 attendees from that event to our show floor and pushing our total attendance beyond 1600. 

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The show floor featured a sold-out roster of 134 companies in 174 booths, doubling from 2022. 

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Looking ahead  to our March 11-12, 2024 show at Caesars Forum Las Vegas, we are expanding again -- growing into an additional hall and rapidly approaching sold-out status with an even larger exhibitor roster, including top names and emerging leaders in the CEA industry. We are also enhancing educational and networking offerings to attract even more grower/producers, startups, and industry members.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing Indoor Ag-Con in the future?

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As a trade show management company, we encounter various challenges to ensure the success of our business, educational, and networking events. Among them:

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Educational Content and Industry Expertise: CEA is a rapidly evolving field, and our challenge is to consistently provide valuable and up-to-date educational content. Our dedicated team, including Conference Program Advisor Kyle Barnett and Event Director Suzanne Pruitt, actively gathers industry feedback to curate relevant speakers, workshops, and demonstrations that address the diverse needs of attendees.

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Strategic Growth: To thrive, a trade show must keep growing. Our Director of Strategic Growth & Development, Dawn Jeffrey, collaborates with me, Suzanne Pruitt, Kyle Barnett and our sales managers David Gilfoyle and John Moriarty to expand both the supplier/vendor and attendee bases in a balanced manner. This multifaceted challenge requires careful planning to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

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Finding the Next "Head Turner": Innovating and differentiating the trade show to create a memorable experience is crucial. Our quest for the next "head turner" involves distinctive show features, like co-locating with the National Grocers Association Show, providing pass holders the opportunity to explore both exhibit halls and network.

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What is unique about Indoor Ag-Con compared to competitors?

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Indoor Ag-Con stands out as the largest global indoor | vertical farming, greenhouse, controlled environment agriculture gathering. We prioritize efficiency for our attendees, offering an expo floor filled with top industry suppliers, an engaging conference program, and quality networking opportunities—all under one roof. We understand that time is money, and we are committed to delivering the best value for both.

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Any trends you are seeing in the indoor farming market currently, and any predictions for future trends globally?

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While I'm an event producer and not an indoor farming market expert, we stay connected with our audience to ensure Indoor Ag-Con serves as the best gathering place for insights on current and future trends. Our constant interaction with producers, suppliers, educators, government officials, industry association leaders, and trade publications keeps us informed and aligned with market dynamics.

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How can people connect with you or learn more about Indoor Ag-Con?

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To learn more about the March 11-12, 2024 edition of Indoor Ag-Con, readers can visit our website at www.indoor.ag.

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